We Didn't Start the Fire
by BadgerOnAStick
Summary: Sorry about the awful title. I was listening to that Billy Joel song... and... whatever. Don't read if you hate OC's, and please read and review. I won't bore you with the outline, 'cause you gotta read for yourself.
1. The Welcoming Committee

A/N: Gawds, I swore I wouldn't write anything with OCs, but here I am… being a hypocrite. Alas, I don't own Percy Jackson and the Olympians, but I wish I did. (Who doesn't?)

When I was twelve, I read a book by Rick Riordan called The Lightning Thief. The book tells a great story, but it wasn't true.

At least, that's what they want you to think. "They" being the Titans. If more half-bloods realize their heritage, then there's more opposition during the war. I'm not saying a bunch of people should start believing they're a half-blood, because most of you probably aren't. And even if you are, try not to think about it.

Like Percy said, that just makes you another target.

But if you're already being confronted by monsters, then _please_ come to Camp Half-Blood. We need you now more than ever.

My godly heritage was revealed to me when I was thirteen. Yeah, I was a pretty late bloomer, but I guess that's kind of a good thing. I mean, that's a few years of not running from monsters. I digress.

My "dad" had left soon after my mom had an affair with Apollo, my real dad. And just like every other half-blood, I was dyslexic and ADHD. I was musically gifted, though; music was just about the only language I could read clearly.

Schools had always been an issue, as it always has been for other half-bloods. I'd skipped around a lot of private academies as a kid, and just when my mom had resorted to public school, I became a half-blood officially. Thank the gods.

I remember the day I left for Camp Half-Blood clearly. I left from my house in the New York suburbs in the early morning with my satyr, Lia. It wasn't too long of a drive out, so we didn't prepare for monsters well.

Our mistake.

Half-Blood Hill was in sight when we were attacked. First our tires simultaneously blew out, so we had to get out. We were just about to cross the border when I was knocked to the ground. My breath left my lungs like there was a fire in there, and I felt something warm and sticky on the back of my head.

"Erin!" Lia shouted, doubling back and skittering down the steep hill on her hooves.

"No, Lia! Stay back, I've got this under control!" I yelled back, pushing myself to my feet only to be knocked down again by a rough, clawed… appendage.

In truth, I didn't have anything remotely under control. My dad, Apollo, was the god of the sun, so my powers were pretty much useless until the sun came up in ten minutes. I could've be a corpse for nine minutes if I hadn't thought fast. And had a little help.

I struggled out from under the creature's mighty paw and gasped. It was a chimera! I thought Percy slew it in The Lightning Thief! It had come back faster than it should've, which was NOT a good sign.

I didn't have a weapon of my own then, so I resorted running until it tired out. Apollo's kids are well known for their endurance and speed, so I had the upper hand. I ran in different directions, but the chimera read my moves like a book. Thanks to my ADHD, I could also see Lia shaking uncontrollably. Too afraid to leave me and go to camp for help.

The chimera was beginning to catch on to my plan by now and was cutting me off. I had no choice but to turn and run in a different direction. The sun had become a faint sliver on the horizon by then, and I felt more power surging into my legs. With a sudden burst of energy, I leapt onto the chimera's back and grabbed its snake tail, strangling it. The chimera roared and bucked like a bull from Hades, but I just pulled its mane and prayed that I would stay on.

An arrow whizzed dangerously close to my leg and buried itself in the chimera. I looked up to see a dozen girls around my age running down Half-Blood Hill lead by a centaur.

Lia bleated happily, and I held on for dear life. The centaur, whom I guessed was Chiron, from what Lia told me, galloped up beside the chimera.

"Get on my back!" he shouted. I let go of the snake's neck.

That was another mistake.

The snake-tail thing bit me on the back on the neck just as I was leaping off the chimera's back. My vision began to fade almost instantly.

I had enough wits about me to cling to Chiron, but my strength was fading fast. My grip just got looser and looser with each of Chiron's strides. The last sensations I felt before blacking out were hitting the ground and five-hundred pounds of mean leaping after me.

Huh? Huuuh? What d'you think? Pleeeaaaseeee read/review. I give you lots of love and Jolly Ranchers!


	2. Team Seaweed Brain vs Team Pinecone Face

I am scrime for continuing this. I belong in the depths of Bolgia 6. (No, this ain't science fiction, people. This is part 1 of the Divine Comedy of Dante. It's a reeeally old story, so… Wiki it, if you like…)

Yay! Chapter two!

And special thanks to all those who reviewed. You're all my home skillets for life, and when I rule the world, you can help! Yay!

You've never actually had a headache until you've fallen off a galloping centaur and then got jumped on by a chimera.

Not to be whiny or anything, though.

Anyway, that's the story of how I got to Camp Half-Blood. I've been here for about a year now, and so have the Hunters of Artemis. It's not easy to get along with them sometimes, but we manage, especially since Artemis is my aunt and seems to care for me more than Dad does.

I've made lots of friends here, too. Max, from Demeter cabin, Ariana, Aphrodite cabin, Percy from Poseidon, Annabeth from Athena (Like you didn't already know those two.), the Stolls, and Beckendorf. And of course, the Hunters and my siblings.

It was after dinner, and Percy, the Stolls, Thalia from the Hunters, Lia, Ariana, Annabeth, and myself were setting up a pickup game of soccer on the beach. It was anything goes, and powers were usable. Percy and Thalia were captains, and I was on Team Seaweed Brain with Connor Stoll and Annabeth. Travis, Lia, Ariana, and Thalia were on Team Pinecone Face.

A naiad gracefully loped out of the water and grabbed the soccer ball, putting it between our two teams. She said something to Percy in a strange, gargling language, and he nodded and replied in the same language.

"What's he saying?" I asked Annabeth.

"I don't know, but for her sake, she'd better not be flirting with him." she spat venomously. Connor and I both stepped backwards, giving her some space. Annabeth and Percy had just gotten together about a week ago, and she was the REALLY jealous type. Like a big, blazing flame of… you know what? Let's just leave it at REALLY jealous.

Connor shrugged and jogged off to the goal at the other side of the beach, marked by two old carvings of satyrs. Percy signaled for us to huddle.

"Okay, Annabeth, take defense. Erin and I will take offense." Percy said, looking at both of us.

Annabeth frowned. "Do you really think it's good to put most of the players on offense, Seaweed Brain?"

"Um… yeah, that's why I did it." Percy muttered.

"Here it comes." I mumbled, leaving the huddle to slip off my shoes. Percy looked up with the most pathetic look on his face, and I instantly felt bad for leaving him. Annabeth was a pain when it came to competition.

I grabbed Annabeth's arm and led her aside, letting Percy free. He smiled weakly at me and gave me a thumbs-up. I mouthed a _"you owe me big"_, and turned to Annabeth.

"Annabeth, what's the matter now?" I asked.

"Percy." she growled.

"What's wrong with Percy?" I asked lightly.

"He's ignoring my tactics lessons again." she huffed. "I mean, I even designated a spot during the day for him to study, since the fate of the world rests on his shoulders and all, but he's ignoring me!"

I scratched my head. "Haven't you been spending most of your time kissing during those lessons?"

Annabeth's mouth opened slightly and her eyes widened. Bull's eye.

"Wh-what're you talking about?! I haven't even kissed him yet! Honestly, Erin, you and your perverted mind are going to get you into trouble one day!" she shouted. Her face was beet red, and I raised my eyebrows.

"Methinks thou doth protest too much." I said, ruffling her hair. "Let's let Percy use his plan, even if it isn't worthy of Athena. Humor him."

Annabeth paused for a moment and then nodded. "Alright, but I'm captain next time."

"You got it, Wise Girl."

We got our asses handed to us by team Pinecone Face, even if their goalie and defense were a knock-kneed satyr and a prissy drama queen.

I collapsed on the beach next to Connor, panting. Percy and Annabeth were swimming to get the sweat off, but we all needed a shower anyway. The other team had walked back to camp, singing "We Are the Champions" at frightening volumes.

"Can't believe… we lost… to… them…" Connor mumbled darkly.

I grunted, not bothering to waste my breath. The sun had gone down, and I was bushed.

Percy and Annabeth jogged out of the water, laughing.

"C'mon, guys. Let's get inside before the harpies eat us." Percy said, wringing out his hair on my face.

"Ugh. Five more minutes?" Connor whined.

Annabeth grabbed our hands and pulled us up. "C'mon, Connor. Move it, Erin."

I grudgingly got up and went to my cabin.

((A/N: I don't know what Apollo Cabin's number is, so it's 10 from now on.))

After a hot, hot shower, I felt a lot better. I could almost feel my legs.

I tucked in my little seven little brothers and sisters one by one and then I was _finally _able to slide under my covers. It wasn't easy being to oldest. I winced as my sheets scratched at my sunburned arms and legs, but I had to get to sleep fast, since tomorrow was capture the flag, and our cabin was leading the blue team.

"Sleep tight." I whispered to myself, and I fell into what I thought would be a restful, relaxing sleep.

Gods was I wrong.

GASP! CLIFFHANGER!

Sorry about the random and pointless chapter. I had to set up the next one somehow, right?

Meh, R&R, please.


End file.
